Strawberry plant named La Conchita

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry named La Conchita. The variety is similar to the varieties Coronado and San Miguel. The variety is distinguished from Coronado and San Miguel, in particular, the plant is medium dense, shape of terminal leaflet is obtuse, petiole pubescence is dense, predominant fruit shape is cordate, insertion of achenes is level with surface, and fruit acidity is weak.

1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The new variety originated as a result of a controlled crossbetween the strawberry plants Ana Maria (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,035) andBalboa (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,130) in an ongoing breeding program, andwas discovered as a seedling in a controlled breeding plot in VenturaCounty, California in February, 1996. The original seedling of the newcultivar was asexually propagated by stolons in McArthur, Shasta County,California. Propagules were transplanted to a controlled breeding plotin Ventura County, California, where the variety was identified andselected for further evaluation. La Conchita was subsequently asexuallypropagated and underwent further testing in Ventura County, Californiafor six years. This propagation and testing has demonstrated that thecombination of traits disclosed herein which characterize the newvariety are fixed and retained true to type through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety ofstrawberry named La Conchita. The variety is botanically identified asFragaria x ananassa. The new variety is distinguished from othervarieties by a number of characteristics as set forth in Tables 1-4.

3. COMPARISON TO SIMILAR VARIETIES

[0003] The varieties which we believe to be similar to La Conchita fromthose known to us are Coronado (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,221) and SanMiguel (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,642). There are several characteristicsof the new variety that are different from, or not possessed by Coronadoand San Miguel. The new variety is medium dense, shape of terminalleaflet is obtuse, petiole pubescence is dense, predominant fruit shapeis cordate, insertion of achenes is level with surface, and fruitacidity is weak

4. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] The accompanying photographs show typical specimens of the newvariety, including fruit, foliage and flowers, in color as nearly trueas it is reasonably possible to make in color illustrations of thesecharacteristics.

[0005]FIG. 1 shows the leaves of the plant.

[0006]FIG. 2 shows the upper side and the under side of the flowers.

[0007]FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the fruit.

[0008]FIG. 4 shows the fruit in longitudinal cross-section.

5. DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

[0009] The following detailed description of the new variety is basedupon observations taken of plants and fruit grown in Ventura County,California, U.S.A. This description is in accordance with UPOVterminology. Observations of La Conchita, Coronado and San Miguel weretaken in side by side comparison in the year 2001. Color designations,color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate fromthe stated values and descriptions depending upon variation inenvironmental, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions. Colors aredescribed and the most similar color designations are provided from TheRoyal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

5.1 PROPAGATION

[0010] The new variety is principally propagated by way of stolons.Although propagation by stolons is presently preferred, other knownmethods of propagating strawberry plants may be employed.

5.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW VARIETY

[0011] Information on the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, 3 and4. In the tables, the flowers described are secondary flowers exceptwhere indicated. The petal color of La Conchita is white (155C in theRHS Colour Chart). The fruit described is the secondary fruit onone-year-old plants. Fruit and flower measurements are an average ofboth primary and secondary fruit and flowers.

[0012] Table 1 provides information on the plant and fruitcharacteristics of the new variety La Conchita compared withcharacteristics of Coronado and San Miguel. Table 2 provides additionalinformation of the plant and fruit characteristics of the new variety LaConchita compared with characteristics of the varieties Coronado and SanMiguel. Table 3 provides reactions of the new variety to stresses, pestsand diseases compared with reactions of the varieties Coronado and SanMiguel. Table 4 provides isozyme characteristics of the new variety ascompared to that of the varieties Coronado and San Miguel. TABLE 1DETAILED COMPARISON OF LA CONCHITA, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUEL La ConchitaCoronado San Miguel Plant Characteristics Height of Plant (cm) 19.5 20.722.8 Spread of Plant (cm) 26.0 28.7 29.4 Number of Crowns 3.4 4.6 4.4Leaf Characteristics Terminal Leaflet Length (cm) 5.6 6.1 6.2 TerminalLeaflet Width (cm) 6.2 6.3 5.8 Terminal Leaflet Length/Width 0.91 0.971.07 # Teeth/Terminal Leaflet 22.7 21.6 20.7 Color of upper side darkgreen light to medium to 147A medium dark green green 147A 137A Color ofunder side light to light to light to medium medium medium green greengreen 139C 137B 138B Petiole Length (cm) 14.9 16.3 16.0 Petiole Color149A 149A 149A Bract Frequency 0% 0% 25% typically paired Stipule Length(cm) 2.9 3.4 2.9 Stipule Width (cm) 1.0 1.2 1.1 Flower CharacteristicsPetal Length (cm) 1.7 1.6 1.4 Petal Width (cm) 1.6 1.7 1.5 PetalLength/Width Ratio 1.06 0.93 0.98 Flower Diameter (cm) 3.2 3.4 2.7 CalyxDiameter (cm) 4.4 4.4 4.1 Fruiting Truss Length (cm) 21.8 22.1 25.7Fruit Characteristics Fruit Length (cm) 4.2 4.3 4.3 Fruit Width (cm) 4.13.9 4.1 Fruit Length/Width Ratio 1.04 1.11 1.07 Average Berry Weight (g)27.0 23.6 23.2 External Color 45A 46A 53A Internal Color orange red reddark red and white 41A 45A (34A and 155 C) Average % brix 8.1 7.1 7.1Brix/Acid Ratio 10.75 9.11 9.33 Achene Coloration 60A to 15B 53A to 53Ato 14B 151B Yield (g/plant) 695 598 557

[0013] TABLE 2 CHARACTERISTICS OF LA CONCHITA, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUELLa Conchita Coronado San Miguel Plant Habit globose globose flat globoseDensity dense open open Vigor medium medium medium Leaf Shape in crossslightly concave slightly concave concave section Interveinal strongstrong strong blistering Glossiness strong strong strong Number of morethan three more than three three only leaflets on at least 5 out on upto 5 out of of 10 leaves 10 leaves Terminal leaflet flat flat to cuppedflat to revolute margin profile Terminal leaflet rounded obtuse roundedshape of base Terminal leaflet obtuse rounded rounded shape of teethStipule sparse to sparse sparse pubescence medium Petiole dense mediumsparse to pubescence medium Petiole pose of outward to outward outwardhairs downward Stolon Amount many medium to many many Anthocyanin mediumweak to medium weak to coloration medium Thickness medium medium thin tomedium Pubescence medium to dense sparse to medium sparse to mediumInflorescence Position relative level to above level to above above tofoliage Diameter of calyx larger larger larger relative to corolla onsecondary flowers Diameter of inner smaller same size to same size calyxrelative to larger outer on secondary flowers Spacing of petals touchingto touching to overlapping overlapping overlapping Fruiting TrussAttitude at first prostrate semi-erect to prostrate picking prostrateFruit Predominant cordate conical to wedged conical to shape cylindricalDifference in slight moderate moderate shapes between primary andsecondary fruits Band without very narrow narrow very narrow achenesUnevenness of weak weak to medium weak to surface medium Evenness ofcolor slightly uneven even even uneven to even Glossiness medium tomedium to strong medium strong Insertion of level with the below surfacebelow surface achenes surface Insertion of calyx level to set above`level to set above set above Pose of the calyx reflexed spreadingspreading to segments reflexed Size of calyx in same size to larger samesize relation to fruit on larger secondary fruit Adherence of strongmedium strong calyx Firmness of flesh medium firm firm Evenness of fleshuneven slightly uneven even color Distribution of only marginal marginaland marginal and flesh color central central Hollow center small tomedium medium medium size Sweetness strong weak strong Texture when finefine fine tasted Acidity weak strong medium Time of early-Januaryearly-January early-January Flowering Harvest Interval early-February toearly-February to early-February in 2001 mid-June mid-June to mid-JuneType of Bearing partially partially partially everbearing everbearingeverbearing

[0014] TABLE 3 5.3 REACTION TO STRESS, PESTS AND DISEASE FOR LACONCHITA, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUEL La Conchita Coronado San MiguelReaction to Stress high pH moderately moderately moderately resistantresistant resistant high soil salt levels moderately moderatelymoderately resistant resistant resistant Reaction to Pests Tetranychusurticae moderately moderately moderately resistant resistant resistantLygus hesperus susceptible susceptible susceptible Reaction To DiseasesBotrytis fruit rot moderately moderately moderately susceptiblesusceptible susceptible Powdery mildew moderately moderately moderatelyresistant resistant resistant Verticillium wilt susceptible susceptiblesusceptible Strawberry Mottle Virus moderately moderately moderatelyresistant resistant resistant Xanthomonas fragariae moderatelymoderately moderately susceptible susceptible susceptible

5.4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS

[0015] In addition to the morphological description above, the newcultivar La Conchita has been analyzed to obtain an indication of itsgenetic makeup to provide further means for identifying the new varietyand distinguishing it from other somewhat similar and/or relatedstrawberry varieties. Specifically, leaf samples of La Conchita,Coronado, and San Miguel were analyzed by electrophoresis for isozymepatterns of the enzymes phosphoglucoisomerase (“PGI”), leucineaminopeptidase (“LAP”) and phosphoglucomutase (“PGM”). See J. Amer. Soc.Hort. Sci. 106:684-687. Isozyme characterization of the three varietiesis presented in Table 4, with the letters representing the bandingpatterns for each enzyme as designated in the above-identified article.TABLE 4 ISOZYME ANALYSIS FOR LA CONCHITA, CORONADO AND SAN MIGUEL LocusLa Conchita Coronado San Miguel PGI A4 A2 A4 LAP B3 B3 B3 PGM C2 C4 C2

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of strawberry plant,substantially as shown and described.